The Briefing

Long gone are the days when the commuter bike was an old-school mountain bike with a potpourri of parts and a rear wheel that was only roughly true. A rise in people looking to build fitness, lower their carbon footprint or simply have fun while getting around has created a big market for commuter bikes. Here are some of our favorites for 2015.

Local and approachable may describe this town best, but Portland’s global culinary offerings also rivals any city on earth. Whether you’ve got an evening or a weekend in the city of roses, plan on eating at one of these standout ethnic restaurants. And keep a roll of Tums within reach; no amount of digestive rebellion...

We kick off the Mass Market Beer Tournament with the Domestic Division. It's a blind tasting fight to the finish (and a Final Four berth) between Budweiser, Sam Adams, Yuengling, PBR, Miller High Life, Blue Moon, Coors Banquet and PBR.

We got down from our high horse, if only for a second, to find the best of the generic, watery and cheap mass-market beers. How exactly? By seeding a total of 34 beers into four divisions and holding an NCAA-style tournament of blind tastings.

The commuter bike is no longer just an old-school mountain bike with a potpourri of parts and shaky wheels. The fitness-minded and the eco-friendly, along with those who simply want to have fun getting around, have changed the game.

Today, manufacturers are pushing shoe tech to find sacred middle ground -- offering lightweight, responsive shoes with enough cushion and stability to prevent injury. These 10 are the best of the new breed.